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Pa(war) of words

Tu Tu Main Main has been intensified as the election dates are approaching. Senior leaders are using derogatory words against each others. Today, Sharad Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party chief said Narendra Modi needs to be “treated in a mental hospital for talking rubbish”. Modi must have deranged as he talks rubbish things and he is needs to be treated in a mental hospital. I was not surprised with Sharad Pawar’s comment. He has the habit of sabotaging others for his own ambition. From last fourteen years, he is running a government in alliance with Congress party and never gave this type of advice earlier. Today, when UPA is going through a bad phase, he is passing a rude comment.

Modi was talking about Congress Mukt Bharat and in Sunday’s rally in Amravati Modi had attacked Congress. He has not spared Ashok Chavan also. Pawar said, “Whether Modi knows the sacrifice and contribution of Congress in freedom struggle? Because of Congress’ ideology, we got freedom.”
Attacking back on Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena chief said, “Myself, Gopinath Munde, Ramdas Athavale and Raju Shetty opposed Pawar’s entry in the NDA and hence his dream of
joining the NDA broke even before elections.”

“Pawar is a politician who stands on two stones,” Uddhav said.

Those from the NDA praising Pawar should first visit families of farmers who have committed suicide and also criticised the Congress-NCP government for failing to help farmers affected by drought and unseasonal hailstorm.
Earlier also, Pawar said that SP had been opposing Congress party which led to the emergence of the third front. Pawar should realise that if weak rulers are not accepted by the public then corrupt are also refused by the same aam aadmi. Pawar is considered to be one of the most corrupt leaders and that’s the reason why he was brutally slapped by a common man in New Delhi. How can he forget such humiliation? I am not supporting the BJP or Shiv Sena but trying to expose the rotten face and false ambition of Sharad Pawar, who has the dream to become the Prime Minister of this country. Pawar also said that the people of the country have rejected Rahul Gandhi. Congress leaders will never accept you too, Mr. Pawar. According to Pawar, firm leadership is required for better decision making. Pawar should know that Congress was stronger in decision making and because of that, all corrupt leaders are breathing fresh air outside the jail. There is no doubt that Congress has got a jolt in the recently concluded polls but the alliance parties should be holding them at this moment like Farooque Abdulla of National Conference. The same Pawar parted with Congress party and formed new NCP because of Sonia Gandhi but again made alliance with Congress party and is happyily licking her boots.

Pawar has always played politics according to his convenience. Vasantdada Patil was a fine leader from the grass root who had built the fine cooperative movement of Maharashtra, but he was too much of a gentleman for the new era politics. So, Pawar pulled the carpet from Patil’s feet and formed Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) to become the chief minister. That was his first forage outside the Congress fold in the name of weak leadership. Pawar has not left the Congress because of weak leadership. Pawar did think at that time the leadership of Sitaram Kesari was weak and sought to take over from him in a contest for the office of the party’s president. Then PA Sangma and Pawar along with Tariq Anwar walked out of Congress after their attempt to storm the party failed. The former is now in political wilderness, but Pawar maintains his influence in Maharashtra and nurses his prime ministerial ambition, though his limited influence is mainly in the state. Tariq Anwar is Pawar’s assistant in Agriculture ministry. So, when Pawar speaks about weak leadership of the party, one should look around for new political formations before ensuing of general elections. The ‘Bechara’ rich farmer has his friends in all parties which are not untouchable for him, though some of them may consider him untouchable.

Sharad Pawar did the greatest damage and destroyed India by his worst policies, destructive governance, stupid economic policies etc. He has crippled this country sitting on Dawood’s laps. Pawar has always sheltered anti-national elements. Sharad Pawar, after the BJP leaders, is the happiest politician around today. By talking about the weak leadership of the Congress, he is fencing himself out of the UPA pack. If the cause of the Congress rout is unprecedented food price inflation, then the credit for the fall should fairly go to Pawar as he is the agriculture minister. He went on record and said he was happy that the farmers were earning more when the onion price touched Rs.100. Pawar is very much aware of what is happening in the market and how farmers lock themselves to a price much before their produce is ready for the market. His elation, on high food prices, on behalf of farmers was a ruse for not doing anything about markets which are flooded with both white and black money.

Anyways, Modi was called a “publicity stunt expert” by Sharad Pawar who accused him of misguiding people. “If corporate houses had not given so much financial support to Modi, would he have managed to get so much publicity?”

Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi should be stripped, sent back to Italy: BJP MLA

Sonia-RahulIn an abusive comment, a BJP MLA has threatened to strip Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi, and send them back to Italy if his party comes to power.

Addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk constituency, Heeralal Regar said: “Sonia and Rahul Gandhi should be stripped off their clothes and sent back to Italy.”

Taking note of Regar’s comments, the Congress party has complained to the Election Commission.

However, Regar apologised for his remark, but added he has been misquoted. “I have not taken any name. If anyone is hurt by my comments, I apologise,” Regar said.

The incident comes days after the BJP urged the Election Commission to take action against Congress’ Saharanpur nominee Imran Masood over a purported anti-Narendra Modi speech.

Masood was arrested early Saturday for his hate speech against the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, during an election rally, had condemned the language used by Masood, saying it does not reflect the Congress’ thinking.

Masood was caught on camera spewing venom on Modi and threatening to “chop him into pieces”.

Sabir Ali files defamation case against Naqvi, wife Yasmin detained

Former Janata Dal (United) leader Sabir Ali has filed a defamation case against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for his alleged remarks on him, reports said on Monday.

Ali’s wife Yasmin Ali also began a protest outside Naqvi’s residence in Delhi demanding an apology from the BJP leader for allegedly linking her family to terrorists.

“I just want an apology from MA Naqvi, “Yasmin said adding, “Will sit outside his house till he apologises.” She was later detained by the police.

Ali, whose membership in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was cancelled, on Saturday said people like BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi were keeping the party disconnected from the Muslims.

On the BJP cancelling his membership, Ali said, “It is their decision and I don’t want to comment on this.”

Earlier, Ali had written a letter to the BJP unit of Bihar asking them to put his membership on hold till party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s allegations on him are cleared.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi opposed the induction of expelled Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sabir Ali into the party on grounds that he has been named as one of the accused in the murder of music mogul Gulshan Kumar and was a friend of Indian Mujahideen chief Yasin Bhatkal.

On Friday, directly attacking Ali, Naqvi had tweeted “Terrorist Bhatakal friend join BJP, soon accepting Dawood”.

SC commutes Bhullar’s death sentence to life imprisonment

In a big relief to Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, the Supreme Court on Monday commuted the death sentence of the 1993 terror convict to life imprisonment on the grounds of inordinate delay in deciding his mercy petition and that he suffered from Schizophrenia.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam, Justice RM Lodha, Justice HL Dattu and Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya, while commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment, referred to the apex court’s January 21, 2014 verdict, which said that inordinate, unexplained or unreasonable delay in deciding mercy petition was dehumanizing to death row convict and was a ground for commuting death sentence to life imprisonment.

Bhullar was convicted and awarded death penalty for triggering a bomb blast in New Delhi in September 1993, which killed nine persons and injured 25 others, including then Youth Congress president MS Bitta.

The court also noted the statement of Attorney General GE Vahanvati that there was delay in deciding the mercy petition of Bhullar and in view of the January 21, 2014, judgement, the April 12, 2013, judgement no longer holds ground. Having admitted to delay, the centre had left the decision to the court.

The court also took note of the February 05, 2014, report of the Delhi-based Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences which said that Bhullar suffered from Schizophrenia, a mental condition.

The court had on January 31, 2014, asked the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences to examine Bhullar and submit its report.

Bhullar had filed a mercy petition before the President on January 14, 2003.

The President, after a lapse of over eight years, dismissed his mercy plea on May 14, 2011. Citing the delay, he had again moved the apex court for commutation of the death sentence but his plea was rejected.

By its April 12, 2013, judgement, the court while rejecting Bhullar’s plea, held that the delay in the rejection of a mercy petition of a death row convict by the president was not open to judicial review if the conviction was for a crime that involved the loss of a large number of innocent lives.

The court, while upsetting that judgement, had said: “We are of the view that unexplained delay is one of the grounds for commutation of sentence of death into life imprisonment…The only aspect the courts have to satisfy is that the delay must be unreasonable and unexplained or inordinate at the hands of the executive.”

Congress will not get seats in double digits in any state after polls: Narendra Modi

BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Monday made a scathing attack on the Congress by saying that there will be no states where the ruling party will get seats in double digits after the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a rally in Assam’s Biswanath Chariali the BJP leader said, “Congress party has done nothing in past ten years of its rule. People of this country will teach Congress a tough lesson in this elections. I don’t think there will be a state in the country where Congress will get seats in double digits.”

Rejecting all pre-poll calculations and opinion polls, Modi said, “This election has to do with the chemistry of the nation, Congress will not get double digit in any state.”

Coming down heavily on the Tarun Gogoi government in the state, Modi said, “People were killed in the neighbourhood but neither the Chief Minister nor Congress leaders went there.”

“The CM of Assam is willing to travel 10 times to Delhi to meet Madam ji but can’t meet people of his state,” Modi added.

Earlier, while addressing a rally in Itanagar, Modi slammed the Congress led UPA government at the Centre over Italian marines case and the killing of a youth from Arunachal Pradesh.

Making a strong pitch for his party in the northeaster state, the BJP leader hit out at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for flip-flop over the Italian marines case and failing to provide safety to people from northeastern states living in Delhi.

Attacking the Congress over the Nido Taniam death case, Modi said, “Sadly Congress lacks any shame. A boy from here was killed. When Madam Sonia came to the northeast, did she say a word on this.”

Raking up the fishermen killing issue, Modi said, “Madam Sonia says some people are taking about patriotism, but do we have to go to Madam Sonia to learn about patriotism? Sonia ji we don’t need your certificate. When two fishermen were killed by Italian soldiers, please tell me who helped them leave the country.”

Modi also attacked the Congress manifesto calling it a ‘betrayal letter’. “Congress manifesto is not ‘ghoshna patra’ it is ‘dhokha patra’,” Modi said.

Modi had on Sunday accused the Congress of blocking process of retrieving black money while addressing a rally in Nanded.

Facebook cracking down on fake ‘likes’ in poll season

With politicians boosting their social media presence in the poll season using fake online followers, Facebook has started cracking down on fraudulent accounts showing suspicious high number of ‘likes’.

Data from the Facebook team show that close to 52,000 pages exist for politicians and political parties in India. Of them 60 are verified pages.

“We’re always focused on maintaining the integrity of our site, but we’ve placed an increased focus on abuse from fake accounts recently,” a Facebook spokesperson said in an e-mailed response.

The social networking site, which has around 93 million monthly active users in India alone, has built up a combination of automated and manual systems to block accounts used for fraudulent purposes and ‘Likes’.

Company officials say action is being taken against sellers of fake clicks and are helping to shut them down.

With the growing power of social media, politicians across parties have taken to the digital medium to interact with the youth through Facebook and Twitter this election season.

It is suspected that many ‘Likes’ and ‘followers’ on these platforms are from fake account holders.

Among the pages for politicians on Facebook, BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is a clear winner with a massive 1.2 crore ‘Likes’ followed by Arvind Kejriwal 48 lakh, Mamata Banerjee 670,000 and Akhikesh Yadav 475,000.Officials say fake accounts are caught at various points, including during registration, friending, clicking the ‘Like’ button and messaging.

“We write rules to catch anomalies that signal fake accounts, and we use classifiers based on machine learning to help us identify suspicious behaviour,” says the spokesperson.

To validate and improve the quality of the automated decisions, user prompts and other techniques to determine if an action or account is real or not are used.

A lot of fraudulent activity occurs in patterns because of automated attacks by spammers.

“Beyond the need to maintain authentic relationships on Facebook, these third-party vendors often attempt to use malware or other forms of deception to generate fraudulent Likes, which is harmful to all users and the Internet as a whole,” the official says.

Maoists SMSing voters in Bihar, Jharkhand to boycott Lok Sabha polls

In a first, Maoists are using SMS service to appeal to people to boycott the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand, police officials said on Monday.

“Maoists are sending bulk SMSes to mobile-phone subscribers and appealing to them to boycott the ensuing General Elections,” a police official said.

The SMSes were issued on behalf of the Communist Party of India-Maoist border zonal committee spokesperson Avinash.

“In the SMSes, Maoists have urged workers, farmers, youth, women, progressive intellectuals, senior citizens, nationalist and revolutionary people to boycott the polls,” police said.

The CPI-Maoists also appealed to its party cadres and its different units, including People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army, through SMSes to target and attack security forces during the election.

Maoists have also called for poll boycott in Jamui, Lakhisarai, Banka, Gaya and Aurangabad districts through posters.

Giving the call for poll boycott, the posters demanded withdrawal of forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations.

Police have seized and removed such posters from various places.

Actor Jaaved Jaaferi to contest against Rajnath Singh from Lucknow

Bollywood actor Jaaved Jaaferi will be contesting against Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh from Lucknow seat in Uttar Pradesh. He will be contesting on a Aam Aadmi Party ticket.

The AAP has also fielded Riturajbhai Mehta against BJP veteran LK Advani from Gandhinagar seat in Gujarat.

The AAP released 13th list of 22 Lok Sabha candidates on Monday and named candidates from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

AAP candidate against Salman Khurshid drops out

Mukul Tripathi wants his ticket for the national election to be returned to sender. That would be the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which Mr. Tripathi joined in December last, and which he described, unflatteringly, as running on “jugaad” (innovative but short-term fixes).

Mr. Tripathi, a former journalist, had been asked by AAP to run against union minister Salman Khurshid, who won the Farrukhabad constituency in 2009.

He said today that the party, headed by Arvind Kejriwal, does not have the organization to take on a hefty candidate like Mr. Khurshid.

Sources in AAP retaliated that the party had changed its mind about Mr. Tripathi and dropped him, not the other way around, because he had shown little initiative in campaigning or connecting with local workers.

As India’s largest state, Uttar Pradesh elects 80 members of Parliament. It’s most crackling battle in this election is hosted by Varanasi, where Mr. Kejriwal is running against Narendra Modi, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. The Congress has yet to announce who it will place in the Varanasi ring.

Arvind Kejriwal to meet Lt Governor to request elections in Delhi, says ‘BJP, Congress running away’

The Supreme Court has asked arch political rivals the BJP and the Congress to explain within two weeks whether they can form a government in Delhi together.

Noting that the matter “cannot be in limbo”, the top court has listed further hearing on a petition by the Aam Aadmi Party on April 17; the petition challenges the President’s Rule imposed in Delhi in February this year after its chief Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Chief Minister.

Mr Kejriwal has tweeted that he will meet Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung this evening “to request him to recommend elections in Delhi.”

He also tweeted, “Why r BJP n Cong running away from assembly elections in Delhi? They refuse to submit replies in SC today….(sic).”

The court had last month asked the two parties to explore the possibility of “joining hands.” The parties failed to respond, leading to today’s order asking them to file an affidavit by the next hearing.

Both the BJP and the Congress had requested the court to take the matter up after the general elections are over. The elections will be held in nine phases beginning next week and votes will be counted on May 16.

In the Delhi elections held in December last year, the BJP and an ally had won 33 seats of the 70 seats, the AAP 28 and the Congress had won eight. After the BJP said that it did not have the support of the 36 members needed for a majority, the Congress had offered external support to prop up Mr. Kejriwal at the head of an AAP-led government.

The uncomfortable association lasted 49 days. Mr. Kejriwal resigned as Chief Minister on February 14 over his pet anti-graft Jan Lokpal Bill. He accused the BJP and the Congress of ganging up in the Delhi assembly to block his bill.